Don’t Turn from Summer Don't Turn From Summer Chapter 43

Don't Turn from Summer (莫负寒夏) by Ding Mo (丁墨)

Volume III: No Summer on the Other Side

Chapter 43

The next day.

Mu Hanxia opens her eyes to the mild morning light. She lies there and allows her mind to go blank for a moment, and then something pops up: she’s now someone who has a boyfriend?

The heart is quietly going up and down. She gets up, goes through morning routine, and changes into her work outfit, all the while thinking about the one who’s right next door. And then, when she pushes opens her door, his door opens at the same time. Lin Mochen steps out in his carefully ironed suit, with an overcoat in his arm.

The two pairs of eyes meet in the air.

Mu Hanxia feels her heartbeat go faster, but pretends there’s nothing unusual: “Morning.”

He walks straight toward her.

Stopping before her and grabbing one of her hands into his, he says evenly, “Let’s go.”

Mu Hanxia follows him to the elevator with her hand in his, and feels as if her soul was also grabbed by him. Staring at the holding hands, she says, “Didn’t you say yesterday that I’m allowed to think about it for some time?” But now, why this hand holding is done so naturally.

Facing forward, Lin Mochen chuckles slightly, “Huh...”

Mu Hanxia: “...”

They get into the elevator, and his hand is still firmly holding on to hers.

Mu Hanxia: “This is cheating.”

Lin Mochen says nothing.

After a moment, they arrive at the floor for dining. The Elevator door opens and there’s no one outside. Lin Mochen suddenly lowers his head, his other hand holding her from the back of the head, and gives her a peck on the lips. Then he whispers by her ear, “Go have breakfast.”

Mu Hanxia blushes and gives up struggling, obediently following him into the dinning area  all the time with her hand in his.

The day is the same routine. After breakfast, he drives to the company. While in the company, they are busy with their respective work. He mainly focuses on Lot A, and she mostly helps him manage the apparel business, frequently communicating with Beijing. They are so busy that they are unable to see or speak to each other for the whole morning.

But still, from this day on, Mu Hanxia is different from before. This is the first time that she is with a man. Even though she’s busy, she frequently thinks of him, of him hugging her, kissing her, and gazing at her with smiling eyes. Those images of him are so different from the cool and sophisticated him in front of others.

At noon, Lin Mochen is having a meeting with the few members of the real estate project. One of them glances at the watch and says, “Chief Lin, how about we go downstairs for lunch?”

Lin Mochen pauses a moment and replies, “I have set up the lunch with someone. You all go ahead and have lunch. We will continue in the afternoon.”

Naturally n.o.body has any objections.

At the time, Mu Hanxia is in the suburban factory, ready to have delivered fast food for lunch with a few managers of the workshops when she receives the call from Lin Mochen.

“Where are you?” He asks.

“In the factory.”

“I come to take you to lunch?” There’s a trace of smile in his voice.

“Oh, Okay.” Hanging up the phone, Mu Hanxia immediately puts down the food and says with a solemn face, “There’s something coming up that I need to attend to. You eat first and I have to go now.”

The others all say “Manager Mu is really busy and really dedicated! She can’t even have a good lunch.”

Mu Hanxia is a little guilty: “It’s OK. It’s OK.”

Coming out of the factory, she sees Lin Mochen’s car parked on a deserted road with lush trees. She pulls the door open and gets into the front pa.s.sage seat. He wears a pair of sungla.s.ses, watching her smilingly.

“What do you want to eat?” He asks.

“Anything is fine.”

Then, Lin Mochen takes her to the small restaurant they once went. He grabs her hand and walks in. The owner’s smiles make Mu Hanxia a little embarra.s.sed. She whispers, “Are you coming back to get things even? Do you have to be so childish, boss?”

But Lin Mochen just returns calmly, “When did I ever lose? Last time I took you here was simply one step in my plans of courting you.”

“......”

They sit down for lunch. Even the light lotus root soup has a slightly sweet taste to it.

When Lin Mochen eats his meal, if there’s nothing to talk about, he seldom speaks. But Mu Hanxia is someone who is used to devouring hot and dry noodle while standing and she eats fast. She constantly glances up at him. She is not familiar with the table etiquette at a formal dinner in western world, or what it is like to be an upper cla.s.s, however, the way Lin Mochen carries himself while dining is truly elegant and reserved. Even the way he picks up things with the chopsticks seems to be more graceful than regular people.

“What are you looking at?” He asks.

“Nothing.” Mu Hanxia answers. Then remembering that he went abroad from Lin City at a young age, she asks, “Besides your little sister, do you have other family members in Lin City?”

Lin Mochen takes a sip of the soup and replies with a very flat tone, “No.”

“Oh.”

He looks up at her: “What about you? Any relatives in Jiang City?”

Mu Hanxia pokes at the food in her bowl with the chopsticks and says, “Only some distant relatives, who I have little correspondence with.”

Lin Mochen speaks no more.

After a while, Mu Hanxia suddenly stiffens.

Under the table, Lin Mochen grabs her hand in his.

His deep and dark eyes gaze at her calmly. His hand is long and slim, enveloping hers completely in his palm.

Mu Hanxia suddenly understands. He is holding his hand to stand by her and comfort her.

Never has anyone given Mu Hanxia a feeling like this. Her eyes suddenly feel a little tingling, and she lowers her head with smiles.

Right then, Lin Mochen’s phone suddenly rings. He lets go of her hand and picks up the phone: “h.e.l.lo. Hmm... Okay, send me the detailed data. Okay, I will send someone over as soon as possible.”

Mu Hanxia asks when he hangs up the phone, “What’s the matter?”

Holding her gaze, he replies, “There’s some fluctuation on the Beijing market, and there are also new compet.i.tors. They need help with sorting market and key product categories over again.”

Mu Hanxia is quiet for a moment and says, “Let me do it.”

Lin Mochen doesn’t respond immediately. In fact, he, who has always been well planned, is somewhat annoyed now. If he knew what would happen today, why did he ever train her as his successor of the apparel business? Now he has just won her over, without even warming her up enough, and he has to let her go away?

Ahh...

Whereas, he is not someone who would hamper his career for emotional reasons. Silent for a moment, he nods, “Okay.”

When they get back in the car after lunch, Mu hanxia says, “Since it’s urgent, I’d better fly over tonight.”

“Hmm.”

Mu Hanxia speaks no more.

Lin Mochen plugs in the car key but is not starting the car. He taps his fingers a couple times on the steering wheel and reaches out to press her into his arms. Mu Hanxia’s heart jumps. And he lowers his lips to kiss her pa.s.sionately. This kiss is much deeper than the one in the morning, seemingly as intense as last night. Mu Hanxia sighs softly in his arms. After kissing for a long moment, he whispers, “I will try to finish my work at hand as soon as possible and come to see you off at the airport.”

But it turns out that Lin Mochen hasn’t shown up after Mu Hanxia waits outside the security checkpoint for so long that she almost misses the boarding time.

The night is falling, and she is staring straight in the direction of the airport entrance. Among the scurrying people, he is nowhere to be seen.

In the end, his phone call comes in.

It’s so noisy here and not so quiet on his end.

“Have you boarded?” He asks.

Mu Hanxia replies: “In a minute.”

“I’m sorry,” He says, “Rong Yue has requested an important meeting, and we haven’t finished yet. I can’t leave now.”

Even though he hasn’t kept his word, her heart still softens slightly. She says, “It’s OK.”

They both are silent for a moment. Suddenly he smiles and says, “Get things done soon and come back as soon as possible.”

“Hmm, I will.”

The broadcast is announcing boarding notification.

Mu Hanxia: “See you soon then.”

He answers: “See you soon.”

Mu Hanxia is quiet for another couple seconds without hanging up. Then she hears his even voice: “Summer, have me in your thoughts.”

Mu Hanxia is taken by surprise and blushes: “Eh...I will.”